Cone dispenser



Feb. 18, 1941.

J. BALTON CONE DISPENSER riled Aug. 17, 1938 I 18 J gwuem bom 26 AMES am. 5' 1.9 3 28 6 5 f 1a MEL Patented Feb. 18, 1941 l, I

" UNITEDI PATENT OFFICE k v H QO NED ISPENSER James Balton,Baltimo1-e, Md.,-'aSsign0r toMaryland Baking-Company, Inc., Baltimore, Md., a corporation of Maryland I Application August 17, 1938, Serial No. 225,447

9 -Glaims." (cram-4s) My invention relates to devices for dispensing ice cream cones and othersimilarly shaped re ceptacles and it particularly has for an object to provide a dispenser of simpleconstruction'and of such inexpensive manufacturing cost that it may be given away with cone orders of a predetermined amount.

Again, it is an object to provide a Sinipledispenser for cones wherein the, usual carton with four pockets or nests for the stacks of; cones serves as the magazine, making it unnecessary to remove the cones from the cartonsfor placing in the dispenser.

dispenser in which different sizes'of conesjmay be dispensed by the same mechanism.

Again, it is an object to providef'a dispenser that can be shipped knocked-down in the same cases which containthe cartons of cones without the necessity of enlarging the cases now used.

Other objects will in part beobvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter. I

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends the invention still further resides in the novel details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all .of which will be first fully described in the following detailed description, and then be particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a dispenser according to my invention, a portion of the carton being broken away. 5 Fig.; 2 is a top plan view of the dispenser proper (the carton being removed). v

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4is a detail section on the line 4'-4"of Fig. 3. i i 40 Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail section on the line 5-5ofFig.3. i In the drawing, in which like numbers of reference indicate like parts in al1 flgur.es, l is a base stamped from sheet metal with a :shallow 45 flange 2l.. To this base isxsecurely bolted at 4* a standard 2 consisting of a. fiat bar withits ends bent over at right angles to constitute ears 33 through the lower one of which the bolt 4 passes and to the upper one of which the table 5 50 is secured by the pivot bolt 1 (see Fig. 4). The table 5, like the base I, is stamped from sheet metal and it too has a short skirt or shallow flange 6.

The table has a single dispensing hole 18 to 55 pass the largest size cone to be dispensed.

, Another object of the inventionis to provide a Triangularlyarranged around the hole I8 are three pairs of hooks I9 around which the conestack-supporting light coil spring 20 is passed, the spring passingaround all hooks l9 when the 7 largest size cones are to be'dispensed and around 5 onlyone' of each pair (indicated by dot and dash lines in Fig. 3) when smaller cones are to be dispensed.

Disposed in a plane below the spring 20 and hooks I9 is a sheet metal valve or gate 9 that is pivoted on'bolt I and can be swung to either of two positions, one being under the hole M3 to support the cone stack in a substantially closed container and the other being the position shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, namely a position where the gate has completely uncovered the hole l8. Stops l0 stamped as cars from thegate sheet, serve to limitthe movements of the gate by contact wit. the upper 'ear3 of the standard 2. 20

The table also carries a latch 22 and latch spring 23 to hold the carton carrier [4 in its several operative positions by the latch entering one of the holes 30 in the bottom l5; the bottom I5 of the carrier- [4 has a bottom with four discharge holes I6 to line up, one at a time, with the hole l8. .St'iffening beads 11 between the holes Iii reinforce the bottom l5, which bottom is pivotally mounted on bolt 1 and rests on table 5, a suitable spacer .I3being interposed between gate v30 9 and tab-1e 5 (see Fig; 4).

3 The carton carrier is designed to receive and fit over the end of a carton 24 of cones 25.

The carton 24 is divided by crossed partitions 26 into four cells in which the stacks of cones are packed.

With the gate 9 closed, a carton containing four stacks of cones is set down in-the carrierl4,:(see Fig. 1); When gate 9 is opened, the stack of cones over opening l8 will drop until the same is arrested bythe spring 20 (see Fig. 1). Then toobtain a :coneit-is only necessary for one to grasp-the cone at the bottom of the stack and pull it down until it is freeof the spring 20, the next higher cone then being caught by the spring and the movementof the stack arrested. Byzusing 'aufine wire spring 20, the cones will not :be'injured in removing a cone from the ap-- paratus. When one stack has been dispensed it is replaced by turning the holder l4 around 90, etc.

In practice, by making the base 1 and table 5 of little depth, say about one quarter of an inch, and by making the standard of such height that the ears 3-3 will slip over the sides of two cartons 24, it is possible to ship a dispenser in the same case in which the cones are shipped. In

packing the dispenser in the cone shipping case the holder I4 is slipped over the end of one carton and the plates 1 and 5 are tucked in at the side between the case and the cartons in the case.

If the spring 20 loses its resiliency or becomes lost, an ordinary rubber band of appropriate strength can be substituted.

In the preferred form of the invention the hooks l9 are formed on a ring 21 which is secured (preferably by spot welding as at 29) to the table 5. The ring 21 has an outer annular flange 28 of a depth such that when the gate 9 is in position under the hole l8 (see Fig. 5) it will contact said flang 28, to prevent dust entering the dispenser through opening Hi.

What I claim is: 1. A dispenser for ice cream cones, comprising a table having a dispensing hole, a gate below the table for moving below the hole to close the same against escape of cones and entry of dust through the hole, a cellular carton holder swivel ly mounted on the table, said holder having in 5 its bottom a hole for each cell of the carton,

said holders holes being positioned to be severally brought into register with the table's hole, a latch device for holding said holder against swivelling accidentally, and a light resilient band 30 passing across beneath said dispensing hole at three places in approximately triangular formation.

2. A dispenser for ice cream cones, comprising a table having a dispensing hole, a gate below the table for moving below the hole to close the same against escape of cones and entry of dust through the hole, and a light resilient band passing across beneath said hole at three places in approximately triangular formation, there being at 40 least three hooks mounted on the under side of the table adjacent said hole and around which said resilient band is passed.

3. A dispenser for ice cream cones, comprising a table having a dispensing hole, a gate below the 45 table for moving below the hole to close the same against escape of cones through the hole, and a light resilient band passing across beneath said hole at three places in approximately triangular formation, there being three pairs of hooks 50 mounted on the under side of the table adjacent said hole and around which said resilient band is passed, said band comprising a light coil spring.

4. A dispenser for ice cream cones, comprising a table having a dispensing hole, a gate below 55 the table for moving below the hole to close the same against escape of cones through the hole, and a light resilient band passing across beneath said hole at three places in approximately triangular formation, a ring having hooks ar- 60 ranged in triangular formation, around which hooks said band is passed, said ring having an annular outer flan e encircling said hooks and serving as a seat for said gate when closed and means securing said ring to said table and around 5 said hole.

5. In a cone dispenser, a table having a conepassing hole, a ring having an outer annular flange and secured beneath and to said table around said hole, said ring having hooks adjacent its inner opening, a cone hold-back spring held by said hooks and encircled by said flange and passing across said hole in triangular formation, and a gate carried by said table to coop- 5 erate with said flange to close said hole and protect said spring.

6. A dispenser for ice cream cones, comprising a table, means to support said table at an elevated position greater than the length of a cone, 10 said table having a dispensing hole, a gate beneath the hole and attached to the table for moving under said hole to close the same against escape of cones through said hole, a carton holder swivelly mounted on said table and adapted to 15 receive a cellular carton of cones, said holder having in its bottom a hole for each cell of the carton, said holders holes being positioned to be brought one at a time into register with said table's hole, means to retain a stack of cones re- 20 leasably one at a time, when said gate is open, the bottom of said holder having a latching hole for each bottom hole and a leaf spring secured to said table, said table having an aperture and having a pin to project through said aperture into one of the holders latching holes when the same is in register with said aperture.

7. In a cone dispenser, a table having a cone passing hole, a ring located in proximity to and surrounding said hole and projecting beneath the table and of a diameter substantially less than that of the table, a gate pivoted beneath said table to fit under and in contact with said ring and close the passage through said ring completely, and yieldable resilient cone-retaining means mounted within the confines of said ring beneath said table.

8. In a cone dispenser, a table having a cone passing hole, a ring located in proximity to and surrounding said hole and projecting beneath the table and of a diameter substantially less than that of the table, a gate pivoted beneath said table to fit under and in contact with said ring and close the passage through said ring, and yieldable resilient cone-retaining means mounted within the confines of said ring beneath said table, said means comprising a continuous springy element and at least three hooks adjacent said hole and within the confines of said ring around which said springy element is held 5 to extend across said hole for purposes described.

9. Ina cone dispenser, a table having a cone passing hole, a ring located in proximity to and surrounding said hole and projecting beneath the table and of a diameter substantially less than that of the table, a gate pivoted beneath said table to fit under and in contact with said ring and close the passage through said ring, and yieldable resilient cone-retaining means mounted within the confines of said ring beneath said table, said means comprising a continuous springy element and at least three hooks adjacent said hole and within the confines of said ring around which said springy element is held to extend across said hole for purposes described, said springy element being an endless coil spring.

JAMES BALTON. 

